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cnbc.com
Asia-Pacific markets fall as renewed U.S.-Iran clashes keep investors on edge
Asia-Pacific markets open lower Friday, as concerns grew over renewed hostilities between Iran and the U.S. amid a fragile ceasefire.
bbc.com
Instagram privacy tech is turned off today- what does this mean for your DMs?
The platform said it would remove end-to-end encrypted messages, a major U‑turn by parent company Meta.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Who shot first? Hormuz heats again as ceasefire and oil markets in peril
On Thursday, the U.S. and Iran opened fire in the Strait of Hormuz, with each side claiming the other initiated the attack.
bbc.com
Oil prices rise after US and Iran exchange fire in Hormuz strait
The flare-up further endangers the US-Iran ceasefire, which Trump extended indefinitely on 21 April.
cnbc.com
Iran focus at Trump-Xi summit may delay progress on tariffs, rare earths
Thanks to the Iran war, big issues for U.S. businesses like rare earths and supply chains may take a back seat on the agenda for the Trump-Xi summit.
cnbc.com
Oil resumes rally as U.S.-Iran fire exchange rattles fragile Hormuz ceasefire
Oil prices jumped on Friday after the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz, raising fresh fears that the fragile ceasefire between the two countries is rapidly unraveling.
cnbc.com
Japan may have fired its yen bazooka twice, but markets are testing Tokyo’s resolve
Japan's Ministry of Finance has intervened in the yen over the country's Golden Week holiday.
cnbc.com
CoreWeave stock sinks 10% on weak revenue guidance, increased spending forecast
CoreWeave has been raising debt to finance its data center buildout, and S&P has boosted the company's credit rating.
cnbc.com
Coinbase posts steep first-quarter loss after slide in crypto prices; shares fall 4%
Crypto trading platform Coinbase reported a surprise first-quarter loss and weaker-than-estimated revenue after the market close Thursday.
bbc.com
Trump gives EU ultimatum deadline to approve trade deal with US
Trump's deadline to the European Union came as a trade court ruled his global tariff policy violated US law.
bbc.com
How sunburn inspired a new way to store energy
Molecules that can capture heat could be a useful technology to decarbonise heating.
cnbc.com
U.S. and Iran trade fire in Strait of Hormuz; each claims other shot first
CENTCOM's statement does not mention the status of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, which has already been frayed by repeated claims that its terms are being breached.
cnbc.com
Cloudflare stock sinks 18% after earnings as company cuts 1,100 employees due to AI changes
The cloud provider announced it is laying off 20% of its workforce as agentic artificial intelligence "fundamentally changes" the company's work.
cnbc.com
Paul Tudor Jones says AI bull market has 'another year or two to run'
The billionaire hedge fund manager said the market may still be in the middle innings of an AI-driven rally.
cnbc.com
OpenAI rolls out new model for cybersecurity teams a month after Anthropic's Mythos debut
OpenAI said GPT-5.5-Cyber, a variation of its latest AI model, is rolling out in a limited preview capacity to vetted cybersecurity teams.
cnbc.com
Whirlpool says Iran war causing 'recession-level industry decline.' The shares are down 12%
"War in Iran resulted in recession-level industry decline in the U.S. as consumer confidence collapsed in late February and March," the company said.
cnbc.com
Airbnb tops revenue estimates, but Middle East cancellations rise due to Iran war
Airbnb reported mixed first-quarter results after the bell on Thursday and warned of regional weakness due to the war in Iran.
bbc.com
Morrisons supermarket in Wales fined £750k for dirty bakery
A judge said the case was not about a few rogue employees but showed serious and systemic failure.
cnbc.com
OpenAI trial: Mother of Musk's children says he offered Altman a Tesla board seat
Shivon Zilis, a former OpenAI board member who has four children with Musk, testified that the Tesla CEO wanted the AI startup to join his EV company.
cnbc.com
While many international brands retreat, McDonald’s is supersizing its China business
McDonald's plans to have 10,000 locations in China by the end of 2028, and the country is its second largest market.
bbc.com
Major rail disruption expected in southern England until end of day
A radio fault has been resolved but passengers could continue to face long delays, warns National Rail.
cnbc.com
Options traders love this under-the-radar AI play
For an $18 billion market-cap company, data-center owner Iren trades like one of the AI giants.
theguardian.com
Whirlpool warns of ‘recession-level’ slump as Iran war and tariff ruling hit sales
Appliance giant slashes earnings forecast and hikes prices by 10% with another 4% spike plannedWith the war in Iran and economic concerns putting pressure on consumers and how they spend their money, Whirlpool is having to adjust to Americans delaying big-ticket purchases while also raising prices to help stabilize its North American business.The company known for brands such as KitchenAid, Maytag and its namesake, said that the Iran war led to a “recession-level industry decline” in America as consumer confidence collapsed in late February and March. Revenue dropped nearly 10% in the quarter as sales of major appliances in North America declined more than 7%. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Gas-fired power still looks a safe bet for Centrica in the renewables era
There will still be a need to have gas in the wings to keep the lights on, so the financials stack up on Severn plant purchaseThe eye-catching non-Hormuz news in energy-land last month was that Great Britain is set for a record-breaking summer for wind and solar power generation. The national energy system operator even thought there could be periods – a sunny weekend or a bank holiday afternoon of low demand, for example – when more renewable power would be available than the electricity grid needed.So, on the face of it, it is an odd moment for Centrica, the owner of British Gas, to fork out £370m to buy a 16-year-old combined-cycle gas turbine plant in south Wales. After all, the government’s clean power plan imagines that, come 2030, Great Britain’s entire fleet of gas plants will be used to generate only 5% of its electricity, down from 31.5% in 2025. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Paul Tudor Jones says U.S. is late to regulating AI: 'We should have already done it'
The U.S. is locked into a heated rivalry with China and a race to lead AI innovation.
theguardian.com
Meta sues Ofcom over fines regime for breaches of Online Safety Act
Facebook and Instagram owner claims charges should not be calculated based on a company’s global revenueMeta has launched a legal challenge against the UK’s media regulator over the fees and fines regime it is enforcing under landmark digital safety legislation.The Facebook and Instagram owner is claiming that Ofcom’s methodology for calculating the charges is flawed and should not be based on a company’s global revenue. Breaches of the Online Safety Act can be punished by fines of up to 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue (QWR) or £18m – whichever is higher. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Ryan Cohen's mysterious bank letter backing GameStop's eBay bid reveals a big issue with deal
The combined company would need to maintain an investment-grade credit profile, GameStop's mysterious financing letter said.
theguardian.com
Outrage as oil giants profit billions from Iran war - The Latest
Shell has made $6.9bn in profits since the Iran war began, cashing in on soaring energy prices. The enormous profits have reignited calls for higher taxes on fossil fuel companies to fund support for those hardest hit by rising costs.Lucy Hough speaks to energy correspondent Jillian Ambrose. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Norway's central bank raises interest rates to curb inflation; European stocks end lower
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index ended Thursday's session in the red, reversing morning gains.
bbc.com
Portugal and Italy will not suspend digital border checks for Brits
Reports had suggested the countries were set to follow the example of Greece, which effectively suspended biometric checks for UK nationals.
theguardian.com
Climate campaigners attack Shell over ‘windfall’ profits from Iran war
Firm benefits from conflict to rake in $6.9bn as higher energy prices turbocharge profitsBusiness live – latest updatesShell has reported better than expected profits of $6.9bn (£5bn) after its oil traders reaped the benefits of soaring energy prices during the war in Iran, angering climate campaigners.Europe’s biggest oil and gas company posted a 115% jump in first-quarter profits from the $3.2bn reported in the last three months of 2025. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
BP plans to sell shares in flagship carbon projects as it pulls back from green agenda
Oil firm seeks to reduce stake in carbon capture and storage projects in north-east of England after schemes fail to win over shareholdersBP plans to sell stakes in two flagship carbon capture and storage projects in the north-east of England as the company continues to retreat from the green agenda.The oil company hopes to reduce its share in the Net Zero Teesside (NZT) project, which aims to develop the UK’s first gas power plant to be fitted with a controversial carbon capture system to remove its emissions. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Average house price falls by 5%, report shows
The cost of an average island property is down from almost £600,000 at the start of 2025.
theguardian.com
Superdry co-founder James Holder jailed for eight years for raping woman
Holder went back to woman’s Cheltenham flat after night out and refused to stop assault even when she began cryingA co-founder of the clothing company Superdry has been jailed for eight years for raping a woman after a night out in Cheltenham.James Holder, 54, had been due to get a taxi back to his home in the Cotswolds with a male friend. Instead, the pair got into the victim’s taxi and went to her flat in the Gloucestershire town, where Holder raped her.Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...
cnbc.com
France is fan favorite for the FIFA World Cup — but AI is backing another nation for glory, says BofA
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to add over $40 billion to the global GDP with its most lucrative edition ever.
cnbc.com
McDonald's CEO says consumer spending could be 'getting a little bit worse'
Shares of McDonald's have fallen 10% over the last year, hurt by concerns about the broader economy.
theguardian.com
Dawn airport drinkers call out Ryanair boss on proposal to ban ‘holiday ritual’
Stansted passengers disagree that stopping airports serving alcohol before early flights will reduce bad behaviourFor most people, the idea of a pint with breakfast is pretty grim. But at the Wetherspoons in Stansted’s departure lounge on Thursday morning, it appeared to be the beverage of choice.“It’s a holiday ritual,” said Dee Wood, 60, a waste policy officer, who was enjoying a pint while waiting to board her Alicante-bound morning flight. “It’s like the start of holiday,” said her friend Rachel Almond, 59, a community planner, who was treating herself to a lager. “We don’t get drunk, we just have a pint, say cheers and off we go.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Revealed: owner of former WH Smith stores is charging fee to use fictitious ‘family’ brand
Exclusive: Documents show Modella Capital, which bought the chain last year, is so far owed £2.9m in royalty feesThe investment company that owns the former WH Smith high street stores is charging the retailer millions of pounds in licence fees for the right to use its widely derided TG Jones name, the Guardian can reveal.Modella Capital, which bought the chain from WH Smith’s parent company last year, on Wednesday blamed weak consumer spending as it laid out a restructuring plan that could shut 150 of its 450 shops. It also said “the forced name change from WH Smith has also negatively impacted consumer awareness”. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Maersk shares drop as CEO warns Iran war will have bigger impact in coming months
The shipping giant said the Iran war had introduced an "additional layer of uncertainty" as it reported first-quarter earnings on Thursday.
cnbc.com
Boaz Weinstein’s Saba pauses activism against 9 UK funds after Herald deal
Saba Capital, the hedge fund led by Boaz Weinstein, has agreed to a three-year pause to its activist campaign against nine London-listed funds
theguardian.com
UK construction firms face some of sharpest cost rises in nearly 30 years
Monthly rise in prices of fuel and raw materials, driven by Iran war, is one of steepest since survey began in 1997Business live – latest updatesConstruction companies in the UK are experiencing some of the sharpest cost rises in nearly 30 years as the war in Iran drives up prices for fuel and raw materials, according to a closely watched survey.The poll of UK construction companies found that input cost inflation – which accounts for expenses such as raw materials, energy and labour – rose last month to the highest level since June 2022 when there was a spike in commodity prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
German tourist awarded €1,000 after losing out on sunloungers at Greek hotel
Court in Hanover says man entitled to payout after he and his family had to lie on concreteA German holidaymaker has won a payout of almost €1,000 after being unable to find a sunlounger for himself and his family because other guests had got there first.The man, whose identity is not known, holidayed on the island of Kos, in Greece, with his family in 2024. He said that, despite waking up at the crack of dawn every morning to carry out a 20-minute search, he had not been able to lay claim to a lounger. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Diesel prices squeeze US farmers ‘barely getting by’ amid tariffs and drought
US war with Iran drives diesel fuel prices up during spring planting season, ‘hitting us at the wrong time’, farmers sayIt has been a tough few years for American farmers.Squeezed last year by tariffs, they lost an estimated $34.6bn when former trade partners stopped buying. Now, the war with Iran has not only depleted crucial fertilizer stores but has also driven diesel fuel up to record prices. Like the trucking industry, agriculture relies heavily on diesel to run machinery, as diesel-powered engines are more fuel efficient than gasoline-powered ones. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Both left and right are deluding themselves about the scale of the energy crisis Britain faces | Ewan Gibbs
Decades of complacency cannot be magicked away by drilling in the North Sea – or even by hoping that renewables will quickly power everythingEwan Gibbs is a historian of energy at the University of GlasgowFirst it was Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now it is the blockade of the world’s petroleum artery in the Gulf. For the second time in four years, Britain is facing an energy crisis that has been made much worse because of the absence of preparation by its political leaders.The fact is that our energy politics were conceived for a world where convulsive, global events were a thing of the past. The notion that it would be difficult to access supplies of oil or liquefied natural gas from the international markets did not figure in the understanding of the politicians and officials who shaped our perilous current moment. But even today, the advocates of energy sovereignty on the left and right appear to lack knowledge, understanding or power over this very foundational matter.Ewan Gibbs is a historian of energy, industry, work and protest at the University of Glasgow. He is the author of Coal Country: The Meaning and Memory of Deindustrialization in Postwar Scotland Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Gold and silver's historic rally could resume 'as fog of war lifts', market watchers say
On Thursday, spot gold jumped 1.2% to $4,750 per ounce amid hopes that the U.S. and Iran could be nearing a deal to bring the 69-day war to an end.
theguardian.com
‘Restaurants won’t survive’: Michelin chef opens venues abroad to withstand UK taxes
Jason Atherton, who has restaurants in Dubai, St Moritz and now Tuscany, says it’s tough to stay afloat in UK hospitality industryA British Michelin-starred chef says he is opening restaurants abroad to subsidise his UK venues against a backdrop of high taxes and a struggling hospitality sector.Jason Atherton is now in Forte dei Marmi, on the Tuscan coast in Italy, where he is preparing his newest opening, Maria’s, which will be in the Principessa hotel. The Sheffield-born chef now has restaurants all over the world, including in Dubai and St Moritz. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Reopening strait of Hormuz would have limited impact on cargo flows, says Maersk
CEO of Danish shipping group says increased costs due to higher fuel bills passed on to customersBusiness live – latest updatesThe boss of the shipping company Maersk has said the reopening of the strait of Hormuz would have a “limited impact” on cargo flows, as the industry grapples with a sharp rise in energy costs.Vincent Clerc, the chief executive of the Danish shipping group, said its fuel bill had nearly doubled since the start of the conflict, adding as much as $500m (£367m) in costs per month, but it had passed this on to its customers through higher freight rates. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Powerful US utilities secretly fund ‘grassroots’ groups to sway cities away from switch to public power
As communities push for publicly owned electricity, private utilities may be deploying dark money and local front groups to stop themThe utility industry is quietly dispatching a network of front groups to thwart the growing push for public power across the US – a push that comes amid mounting frustration over sky-high utility bills, electric outages, a slow transition to clean energy and private utilities’ soaring profits.Communities from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to San Diego, California, and St Petersburg, Florida, are exploring municipalizing their grids to join the country’s approximately 2,000 public power companies. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘At a crossroads’: will piling-up crises force Europe to put brakes on SUV culture?
Bigger cars including electric can cause multiple harms, yet resistance to rise of US-style vehicles has had mixed supportOn a brisk winter’s evening in Europe’s automotive heartland, a cyclist who had pushed for safer streets went out on his bike for a final time. Andreas Mandalka had documented dangerous driving and shoddy cycling infrastructure for years, measuring the margins at which cars zipped past him and posting videos of blatant violations. While quick to remind readers that only a small proportion of drivers behaved badly, the 44-year-old blogger in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, had grown frustrated with authorities for failing to act. He felt they viewed him as a nuisance.As he cycled down a straight stretch of renovated road that runs parallel to a forest path he had flagged for poor quality, lights bright on his bike and helmet firm on his head, he was fatally struck from behind by a car. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
How the U.S. military and Maersk got a ship to pass through the Strait of Hormuz
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said the shipping giant had deliberately taken a "very cautious approach" during the Middle East crisis.
theguardian.com
Fertiliser shortages to have dramatic effect on food prices, says Duke of Westminster’s firm
Powerful property and farming firm Grosvenor Group says knock-on effect of Iran war could arrive next yearFertiliser shortages caused by the Iran war have driven up costs for UK farmers by up to 70% and will have a “dramatic” impact on food prices globally next year, according to one of Britain’s most powerful property and farming companies.Mark Preston, executive trustee of the 349-year-old Grosvenor Group, controlled by the Duke of Westminster, said fertiliser “was already quite expensive” before the 50% to 70% surge in prices since the start of the Iran war in late February. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Shell latest oil giant to see profits surge due to Iran war impact
The energy giant's profits jump by nearly a quarter as it benefits from the recent volatility in the oil price
theguardian.com
‘Now the village is dead. It’s awful’: why was one of Britain’s best pubs forced to close?
For 400 years, The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge offered a warm welcome to locals and travellers. Then the rent doubled. With two pubs a day closing in England and Wales, can the community save this 17th-century gem?The Hare and Hounds in Bowland Bridge, a few miles from Windermere, is exactly how you’d want a Lakeland pub to be. A pretty 17th-century stone building, whitewashed, with a couple of dormer windows poking up from the slate roof and a view of the fells, it was originally a coaching inn on the route from Manchester to Glasgow.It is not, however, looking its best today. We arrive in a proper Cumbrian downpour. It should be warm and welcoming, with a place by the wood-burner to dry out and down a pint of Wainwright, perhaps. But the door is shut, the curtains drawn in one of the downstairs windows and no sign of life through the other. Attached to the front of the building is a sign; not a pub sign (the name of the pub is painted elegantly in grey over the door), this one has another message: FOR SALE. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'We had people come just to see it': Amazon delivers its first UK parcels by drone
The unmanned aircraft can drop off 100 parcels a day within a 12km radius of Amazon's hub.
bbc.com
$19bn order boosts Belfast Airbus factory
Malaysian airline Air Asia places an order for 120 Airbus A220s, the wings of which are made in Belfast.
theguardian.com
Europe’s AI translation industry told it risks reputation by partnering with US firms
Partnership between top startup DeepL and Amazon comes amid concern about Silicon Valley’s monopoly over digital infrastructureAI companies in Europe risk losing their world-leading status in the field of machine translation, industry figures have said, after the decision by one of the continent’s leading startups to partner with Amazon’s cloud computing division provoked alarm.While businesses in the EU have generally lagged behind the US and China in AI adoption, a small group of European companies have cornered the global market for high-quality machine translations for professional use. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Asian Development Bank's $70 billion energy and digital infra push puts Southeast Asia center stage
Southeast Asia to benefit significantly from Asian Development Bank's $70 billion new energy and digital infrastructure plan in Asia and the Pacific by 2035.
bbc.com
'How loan shark threats keep victims like me silent'
A meat cleaver and samurai sword are among items seized from suspects, shown exclusively to the BBC.
bbc.com
The AI fitness instructors selling unreal gains
A BBC Sport investigation finds misleading adverts for fitness apps that use AI-generated instructors to make exaggerated claims.
theguardian.com
Cut UK speed limits to reduce Iran war impact on consumers, thinktank urges
Cap of 20mph in towns and cities and 60mph on motorways would cut fuel demand and combat rising prices, IPPR saysBritain should lower speed limits for drivers as part of a package of measures to reduce the impact of the Iran war on consumers, a thinktank has said.Capping legal speeds at 20mph in towns and cities and 60mph on motorways would help reduce fuel demand and combat soaring oil prices triggered by conflict, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UAE’s ruling royal family benefits from more than €71m in EU farming subsidies
Al Nahyans’ control over farmland in Europe has meant they receive proportion of payments to farmsThe United Arab Emirates’ ruling royal family is benefiting from tens of millions in EU subsidies to grow crops destined for the Gulf, it can be revealed.A cross-border investigation by DeSmog and shared with the Guardian found subsidiaries controlled by the Al Nahyans collected more than €71m (£61m) in six years for farmland it controls in Romania, Italy and Spain. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Inside India newsletter: Social media is reshaping the world's fastest-growing market for global brands
Social media influencers are urging consumers to read labels and pushing traditional companies to make healthier products or risk being replaced by newer entrants.
bbc.com
The no-nonsense judge calling the shots in Musk v Altman trial
The feud has fuelled a costly showdown between two tech titans.
bbc.com
Gulf economies face long-term hit from Iran conflict
Commentators say it will take years or even decades to repair the damage.
bbc.com
Former OpenAI board member says Elon Musk offered her sperm donations
Shivon Zilis is the mother of four of Musk's children. That relationship began as she advised OpenAI.
theguardian.com
Cameo, speeches, pushing gold bullion: how Farage has made millions since becoming an MP
In less than two years in parliament, the Reform UK leader has brought in £2m on top of his Commons salaryNigel Farage’s income since being elected MP has hit £2m, analysis shows“There’s no money in politics,” Nigel Farage complained almost a decade ago, describing himself as “53, separated and skint”.He has since proved himself wrong. In less than two years in parliament, Farage has brought in £2m, including hospitality, through speeches, presenting, writing news articles, promoting gold bullion – and even recording modestly priced Cameo clips for his fans. It seems that every £70 video counts when it comes to making cash. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Hedge fund founder hits back at Mamdani's 'creepy' wealth tax video
Ken Griffin said Mamdani's video, filmed outside his apartment, raised safety concerns.
bbc.com
People urged not to cancel flights over fuel shortage fears
Airlines have cut 13,000 flights globally in May as jet fuel prices soar due to the conflict in the Middle East.
bbc.com
Oil prices drop and stock markets rise after reports of deal to end Iran war
Reports have raised hopes of an agreement between the US and Iran after days of escalation.
theguardian.com
Another day, another pivot as Trump flails in an Iran trap of his own making
Latest proposal, derided by Tehran as a ‘wishlist’, could yet be a way out – but with 5,000 dead, it comes at an awful priceAnother day, another hairpin turn in the world of Donald Trump’s foreign policy.The weekend was all about war, and Trump insisting Iran had not yet “paid a big enough price”. Tuesday was Project Freedom, styled as a grand “humanitarian gesture” to allow trapped ships and their crews to escape the Gulf, but also aimed at weakening Iran’s chokehold on the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Up to 150 former WHSmith high street stores to close
The stores were purchased by Modella Capital last year, and then rebranded under the name TGJones.
theguardian.com
Vienna’s public transport is the envy of the world – so why can’t it ditch cars?
Austrian capital mulls expanding tram network and park-and-ride car parks in effort to reduce private vehicle useWhen Leonore Gewessler hops on the underground trains and street-level trams that run like clockwork across the breadth of Vienna, she appreciates the ease, affordability and time she “gets as a present” instead of idling in traffic. But Austria’s former climate and transport minister is also aware that cars still dominate the capital’s streets. She says good public transport is just the “precondition” to changing how people move around the city.Vienna’s network of trains, trams and buses have long been the envy of other European cities – let alone car-centric North American ones – but automobiles are still used for a quarter of journeys. In other capitals famed for world-class public transport, such as London, Paris and Prague, even higher use of cars has frustrated doctors and campaigners demanding cleaner air and safer streets. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
From jewelers to health tech, CEOs want tariff refunds as earnings take a hit
Philips and Pandora on Wednesday announced their intentions to apply for tariff rebates in the aftermath of President Trump's "liberation day" blitz.
bbc.com
Why did Paddington Bear need a police escort?
Rav Wilding joins us with the latest crime headlines. From a shocking BBC investigation exposing scammers abusing dogs to con animal lovers, to how to spot a shop used by organised crime — plus why Paddington Bear needed a police escort
bbc.com
Which airlines are cancelling flights to the UK - and what can you do?
Airlines are putting up prices and cancelling flights in response to higher jet fuel prices.
bbc.com
Campaigners call for ban on use of weedkiller glyphosate at harvest time
Campaigners are calling for a ban on the use of the weedkiller over health concerns.
theguardian.com
Nine dollars for a Starbucks is an ‘affordable luxury’? CEOs need to wake up and smell the coffee | Arwa Mahdawi
The head honcho thinks splurging nearly $10 on a beverage during a cost-of-living crisis is fine for a ‘special experience’. It’s time to offer my own valuable adviceI don’t mean to vent, but what is up with Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol’s obscenely large compensation package? Niccol, who joined the company in 2024, is one of the best-paid executives in the US, raking in $96m (£70m) in just his first four months on the job. The man makes 6,666 times more than the company’s typical employee, according to a 2025 Executive Paywatch report. He also regularly commutes to work via private jet. Can’t expect a strategic genius to live next to the office like the rest of the hoi polloi.Still, while he might be good at flogging drinks, Niccol apparently has trouble reading a room. As the cost of living surges, and the federal minimum wage remains at $7.25, the CEO is getting roasted for calling a $9 coffee “a really affordable premium experience”. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Niccol noted that the K-shaped economy, in which higher-income households are thriving and splurging while the bottom half struggles, isn’t really affecting business. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Next to hike prices by up to 8% outside Europe due to Iran war costs
No extra price rises are slated for the UK, which saw better than expected sales in the first quarter.
bbc.com
'I thought he was going to hit me,' OpenAI co-founder says of Musk
OpenAI president Greg Brockman spoke during the second week of a month-long trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI's Sam Altman.
theguardian.com
‘Our competitors are everyone’: Joybuy leads ‘China’s Amazon’ into the UK
Taking on its US rival in Britain is expected to lead to ‘collateral damage’ for UK retailers“We’re here to shake up the UK e-commerce market,” says Matthew Nobbs, the UK boss of Joybuy which is spearheading a European charge by China’s version of Amazon.“I see our competitors as everyone,” he adds, reflecting the scale of ambition of the online retailer that sells home appliances, groceries, makeup and more. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘RAMageddon’: is the era of cheap phones and laptops over?
Bargains are disappearing and the cost of gadgets such as MacBooks and PS5s is rising as AI competes for memory chipsThe end of the cheap laptop, the bargain phone and affordable games consoles may be on the horizon. Not because new models are more hi-tech, but because the cost of computer components has shot up.Recently, the biggest manufacturers of laptops and phones, including Microsoft, Samsung and Dell, started putting up prices and pulling cheaper models – which is going to make finding budget phones and laptops under £400 much harder. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Border politics - how similar jobs in the same firm deliver different tax bills
Workers in southern Scotland can find themselves paying more tax than colleagues who live south of the border.
bbc.com
'I have to make my own dog food' - voters counting living costs on eve of election
India Lerigo makes her own dog food and batch cooks a month's worth of meals over a weekend to save money.
theguardian.com
Trump and his oil-and-coal oligarchy should face sanctions for their war on the environment | Alexander Hurst
Europe punished Russian billionaires over the war in Ukraine. It should do the same to those abetting an ecocidal regimeThe ecological disasters of the US-Israel war with Iran are already bad enough. The noxious smoke from bombed oil facilities, spills in the Gulf’s waters, the contamination of farmland and groundwater with toxic chemicals unleashed by explosions and their debris, the millions of additional tons of CO2 spewed into the atmosphere. But as bad as it is, the Iran war hides another conflict: the ecological war that Donald Trump’s US is waging against the rest of the world.When the EU and UK imposed individual sanctions, travel bans and asset seizures on Russian oligarchs, it wasn’t because most of them were individually responsible for Vladimir Putin’s colonial war of aggression against Ukraine. They were targeted because, as a class, they were viewed by many as inextricable from the apparatus of corruption and levers of power of the Russian state threatening global stability.Alexander Hurst writes for Guardian Europe from Paris. His memoir Generation Desperation is out now Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Is Europe ready for a future without the US? – podcast
Trump has threatened to pull 5,000 troops from Germany – while European leaders worry this is just the start of a US withdrawal from the continent. Deborah Cole reportsLandstuhl is a unique place: a small town in the south-west of Germany, it is also very American.There are American fast food joints, nail salons flying the US flag … and it has, says the Guardian’s Berlin correspondent, been welcoming the US army since it marched into the nearby city of Kaiserslautern in spring 1945. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Apple to pay up to $95 to some US iPhone buyers over AI lawsuit
Claims from last year said the tech firm’s advertising of Apple Intelligence fooled iPhone buyers.
bbc.com
US to safety test new AI models from Google, Microsoft, xAI
New agreements between the companies and the Commerce department build on Biden-era pacts.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on the Renters’ Rights Act: finally, protections fit for the modern housing market | Editorial
The rising number of private renters in Britain have for too long put up with chronically insecure tenancy agreements and poor conditionsThe defining trend in British housing in recent decades has been towards private renting. The sector in England nearly doubled in size between 2004 and 2013. By 2023 almost two-fifths of households were either renting privately or socially. Meanwhile, the dream of home ownership has steadily eroded: 39% of 25- to 34-year-olds owned their home in 2023, 20 percentage points lower than the peak (59%) in 2000. Many younger adults now rent from a private landlord as the default, and expect to do so for the rest of their lives.Which is why the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act is important. Until last week, landlords could evict a tenant for requesting a reasonable repair, or challenging a rent hike. A poll in 2023 for the charity Shelter found that tenants who complained to their landlord or local authority were 159% more likely to be served a no-fault eviction notice than those who did not. The fear was that complaints could cost tenants their homes. It was customary for landlords to pre-emptively evict tenants if they wanted to raise rents.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Stock markets are wobbling, but £10bn cash bids at fat premiums can still happen
A Swedish firm’s pursuit of the product testing company Intertek suggests investors’ price expectations are yet to be shifted by the Iran warIt was a bad day for the FTSE 100 index on Tuesday – down 1.4% – but the puzzle in many quarters is why share prices haven’t fallen further since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. The index is still up by a couple of percentage points since new year, which is not a bet most would have made at the time if they had been told an inflationary energy price shock lay around the corner.An absence of Iran-related corporate profits warnings partly explains the relative resilience, even if those usually take a while to arrive. So, too, the fact that the Footsie is overpopulated with overseas earners for whom the US economy, which isn’t suffering Europe’s soaring natural gas prices, matters more than their home market. And higher oil prices obviously help the likes of Shell and BP. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Lidl's new loyalty scheme less generous, shoppers say
Under the changed system customers collect points rather than reward coupons, with £1 spent equalling one point.
bbc.com
UK long-term borrowing costs reach 28-year high
There have been extra jitters in UK government debt markets ahead of Thursday's local and national elections.
theguardian.com
Tell us: are you caught up in the NS&I lost funds issue?
If you’re affected by the National Savings and Investments lost funds scandal, we would like to hear from youThis month the state-backed National Savings and Investments (NS&I) bank will share its plan to reunite thousands of bereaved families with their missing money.In March it emerged that 37,500 people faced delays because of problems tracing the premium bonds of deceased customers. The families are collectively owed nearly £500m. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Nissan to close UK line and cut 900 European jobs
Nissan says it is considering working with a third party to fully utilise its Sunderland plant.
theguardian.com
UK homebuyers face worst mortgage affordability since 2008, data shows
‘Least affordable’ areas mainly in London commuter belt, UK Finance finds, with Iran war not yet reflected in dataBusiness live – latest updatesUK homebuyers are facing the worst mortgage affordability pressures for almost two decades, although the “pain” is not being felt equally across the country, according to industry data.The banking body UK Finance said that at a nationwide level, initial mortgage repayments were typically swallowing up more than a fifth (21.3%) of a homebuyer’s gross income – the highest level since 2008. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Gap co-founder Doris Fisher dies aged 94
She opened the first store with her husband Don in 1969, with the company calling her "a pioneering force in American retail".
theguardian.com
Reform UK’s immigration policies are a significant risk to the UK economy | Sushil Wadhwani
An exodus of workers will be damaging – and electoral change might help Britain escape instability and low growthWhile all eyes are on the Middle East and the risk of a global recession, a possible scenario with significant downside risk for the UK economy after the next general election is building: the impact of anti-immigration policies.We do not know enough about the actual policy changes a Reform UK-led government would impose, but if we get forced repatriation (including of some who were born in Britain) combined with a climate of fear, the economic disruption could be highly significant. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why are there so many vape shops on our high streets?
New research has shown a 28% growth in shops selling vape products in Scottish towns and cities.
theguardian.com
RBA governor announces cash rate hike and warns more interest rate rises could come – video
Michele Bullock says more interest rate rises may be needed after the third interest rate hike in 2026 bringing the offical cash rate to 4.35%. The Reserve Bank governor says rate hikes to date won’t be able to stop fuel prices from driving up inflation and are instead aimed at cutting spending to stop broader prices from rising after the oil price spike endsRBA interest rates: Reserve Bank hikes official cash rate to 4.35% in blow to mortgage holders Continue reading...
theguardian.com
I got £8,500 in Ulez fines after my car number plate was cloned
I’ve received 77 unpaid PCNs from TfL but it won’t accept they weren’t from my vehicleSomeone cloned my car number plate back in October and racked up £8,500 in Ulez fines. I appealed, but this was rejected.Unfortunately, the cloned car is the same make, model and colour as mine. I’ve now received 17 “order for recovery of unpaid penalty charge” notices from Transport for London (TfL). The bailiffs will arrive next week, according to their letters. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'Vodafone sold us a dream - the reality was something different'
Two women from Lincolnshire are among 62 former franchisees taking the phone company to court.
theguardian.com
‘Historic breakthrough’: could the fossil fuel era be coming to an end? – podcast
The transition towards renewable energy received a boost last week when representatives from 57 countries met in Santa Marta, Colombia, for a world-first climate meeting aimed at bringing the fossil fuels era to an end. Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s global environment editor, Jon Watts, about how the landmark conference came about, who was missing, and whether the optimism can translate into real world actionCould Santa Marta climate talks mark ground zero in push to ditch fossil fuels?Support the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...
bbc.com
Robots move in as waste firms struggle to find staff
Humanoid robots are being added to the automation of waste sorting.
cnbc.com
World Cup prize pool nears $900 million as FIFA boosts payouts. Here’s who gets what
FIFA's upcoming World Cup is set to be the most lucrative on-record, with a 'record breaking' prize pool on offer, as FIFA shrugs off other controversies.
theguardian.com
Why the Bezos-backed Met Gala is so controversial | The Latest
It's the grandest and glitziest event in the fashion calendar, but this year’s Met Gala has sparked backlash thanks to its new honorary chairs, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos. The billionaire Amazon founder’s involvement has led to boycotts and criticism of the event. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s fashion and lifestyle editor, Morwenna Ferrier Continue reading...
theguardian.com
How can care homes charge fees after a death?
Charges set out in a new contract for Aver Healthcare’s homes appear to contradict advice from the regulatorI hold power of attorney for my aunt who is in a care home run by Avery Healthcare. Avery recently sent relatives its new contract, which states that care home fees are payable for 14 days after a resident’s death, and levies an upfront £595 charge for “dilapidations” (damage or wear and tear).These charges contradict advice given by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and are probably unenforceable. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
The nuclear option: Atomic energy could offer Europe hope, say analysts — but it won't be easy
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route, has exposed which nations are most exposed to disrupted energy imports.
bbc.com
The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
bbc.com
Will AI lead to more accurate opinion polls?
It's cheaper and faster to collect people's opinions using AI, but will it make polls more accurate?
bbc.com
The kelp producer who wants to get Americans eating seaweed
Marine farmer Suzie Flores also hopes the crop can revitalise the US's small fishing towns.
bbc.com
Why has the UAE left Opec - and why does this matter?
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is quitting oil cartel Opec after nearly 60 years of membership.
bbc.com
What do shoppers think about the future of their high street?
Freshney Place is being renovated to include a new food hall and five-screen cinema.
bbc.com
Why Spotify has no button to filter out AI music
Music streamer Deezer allows users to filter out AI music, so why does Spotify not offer the same?
bbc.com
How climate change threatens the economic backbone of the Pacific
Tuna populations around the Pacific Islands could move away as ocean temperatures increase.
bbc.com
From scientist to silk farmer: India's silk industry renewal
Silk production is an increasingly high-tech business in India.
bbc.com
What the Warner Bros deal could mean for streaming, cinemas and news
If Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros goes ahead it could significantly reshape Hollywood.
bbc.com
How a pivot to hair accessories led to business success
Jenny Lennick's colourful hair clips are sold across the US and around the world.
bbc.com
The 'dumb machine' promising a clean energy breakthrough
A stellarator is difficult to build, but could it be the best way to make fusion energy work?
bbc.com
Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
bbc.com
The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
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